bates



March 6, 1928'.

Y c. B. BATES DQOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE Filed April 4, 1927 s Sheet-Sneetl Jzzz'ezzZbr W M WW March 6, 1928.

c. B. BATES DOOR OPENING AND CLQS ING DEVICE 3 Sheets-Sheet imzzzce 25% la! W March 6; 1928. 1,661,648

' C. B. BATES DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING DEVICE 56. M v M iv I 56 Maven/or zlzle APCYQZKZZCQ 2? faker Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES CLARENCE B/BATES, OF MABSH ALLFOWN, IOWA.

noon ornnrne an]; cLosINs DEVICE.

Application filed April 4,

The object of my invention to provide a door opening and closing device of simple, durable, and comparatively inexpensive construction. i

More particularly my invention relates to a device of this character which can be, applied to a garage for automatically opening the door thereof upon the approach of an automobile.

A. further object is to automatically close the door after the automobile has passed through the door opening. I

Another object of my invention is to provide floating platforms which are raised by means of a spring tensioning device but which can be depressed by placing a weight thereon such as the front or rear wheels of an automobile. I

Still another object is to connect the platforms to the garage doors themselves so that depression of the platformswill cause the doors to swing on their pivots.

Still a further object is to cause the depression of the platform to store up energy for the closing of the doors as the platforms are released.

Still another object is to arrange a system of lovers and links whereby the slight movement of the platforms will be magnified for the purpose of moving the garage doors tl'lrougha considerable distance so that they can be brought to properly opened position. Still another object 13 to provide a fleXl: ble connection in the device which allows for variations in the distance the platforms are moved and yet allows the doors to be brought to fully opened or closed position.

Still a further object is to arrange the various parts of my device so that they are assembled in a unitary structure which can be secured to the frame work of the door opening of any garage without any material alterations in the construction of the garage itself.

Still a further object is to provide a loclc ing mechanism on the inside of the garage which when actuated will prevent the platforms from being depressed and in consequence maintain the doors of the garage locked in closed position.

With thcseand other objects in view, my

invention consists in the construction ar-.

rangement and combination of the various elements of my door opening and closing 1927. sei-iai No. 180,815.

device, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

1 Figure 1 is an elevationof a portion of a garage and a garage door with my improved opening and closing device attached thereto as viewed from the inside of the garage. i

I Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 2+2 of Figure 1 and illustrates'the doors of the garage in closed position and also in open position in dotted lines.

Figure 3 is an enlarged view partly in section of the unit secured tothe right hand side jamb of the garage door and illustrated from the inside of the garage show-. ing'the door in closed position. a

Figure f is a sectional line 4l-4- of Figure l Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 1 and illustrates the pivotal connection of the outer ends of the platforms. v 1

Figure 6 is a detailsectional view taken on the line66 of Figure 5.

view taken on the Figure 7 is an elevation similar to the one shown in Figure 3 but showing the parts in a different door is opened Figure 8 a plan view of the unit illustrated in Figure 3 and 1 showing in dotted lines the parts in the position illustrated in Figure 7. v

Figure 9 is a detail sectional view taken on the line9-9 of Figure 7'; and i Figure 10 is a. side elevation of the platforms illustrating the garage door in" section.

Upon the accompanying drawingsI have used the reference numeral 10 toindieate generally the front wall of a garage.

The wall 10 is secured to a head jamb 12 and side jambs 14 which define a door opening 16. The door opening 16 is designed to be closed by the folding door elementsf18 and 20. The door elements 18 are secured to vertical shafts QOiby bolts 22 or equivaa lent means. The door elements 20 fare hinged to the door clements 18 by hinges 22.

The shafts 20 are journaled at theirlower ends on studs 24 extending from brackets 26 which are secured to the side jambs 1.4; by

position as when the Ill) lag screws 28 orby bolts if found desirable.

The upper ends of the shafts Q extend through the openings 30 in the head jamb 1:2 and are journaled in brackets 32. The brackets 32 are provided for the purpose of supporting various parts of the operating mechanism of my device which parts will he hereinafter more fully described.

The door elements 20 have secured to their upper adjacent corners, brackets Z-l-twhich rotatahly support rollers 36. The rollers 3t} are designed to travel in a channel member 38 which is secured in any convenient. manner to the head jamb 12. From the foregoing desti'ription it: will be obvious that rotation of the shafts 20 in one direction will cause the door elements 18 and 20 to fold together (the rollers 36 traveling away from each other in the channel member 38) whereby they are opened. totation of the shafts il in the opposite direction will cause the doors to close. It may here be mentioned that any type of swinging door or folding door may be secured to the shafts 2H and that I do not wish to be limited to the type of door illustrated.

For operating the door elements 18 and 2H for closing and opening them l provide a pair of platforms -10 and 42 which are actuated by the weight of an automobile as the wheels thereof are driven on to one of the platforms. The platform -l0 it will be noted is shorter than the platform 42 and is positioned on the inside of the garage. The platform 42 is made longer because there is more room for it on the outside of the garage and it should be longer in order for the doors not to interfere with the automobile when it is driven onto the outside platform. The platforms 10 comprise inner frame members etsland outer frame members 46. The frame members :t'f and 46 are connected by side frame members -18. The frame members 44. 4G. and 49 are covered with planking 50 for the automobile to be driven over.

The frame members it; have secured thereto peculiar Z-shaped bars 52. The Z-bars 52 are designed to hook over angle bars 5% which may be secured to the cement lloor 56 or anchored in any suitable manner. In the manner just descrihet l the outer ends of the platforms 40 and 4-2 are pivotally mounted. The platforms are also removable by merely lifting up on the Z-bar 52.

To prevent movement of the platforms toward the door opening 16 when an auto mobile is driven thereonto, I provide a series of rivets 58 designed to drop into notches 60 formed in the angles The heads of the rivets 59 engage the outer surfaces of the angles 54 and thus prevent undesirable movement of the platforms.

For supporting the inner ends of the platforms 40 and J2 and at the same time for operatively COIIHCCldDgI them to the door operatinp mechanisms which are mounted on the brackets 3:2 I provide links 6:? which are pivoted on studs (3st secured to the inner frame members ll of the platforms lb and 42. There are four studs (54. one for each end of each member H. The links (312 may be held on the stud t'i-l by split spring rings tib or equivalent means.

The two links 02 at each side of the door opening It are pivoted to a bracket t'ih. An actuating rod T l extends slidably through each bracket (38 and has a nut T2 on its lower end. A spring T4 is interposed bet ween cach nut T2 and the lower flange To of each bracket (38. The purpose of the springs T-l will hereinafter be described.

For maintainil'tg the inner ends of the platforms l t) and 42 in raised position I provide the following described mecluinism. Extending from each bracket :32 is a perforated car 78. A piston rod o extends through each bracket TH and is provided with a piston 8; on its lower end. .\n adjusting nut 84 and a lock nut 86 are screwed onto the upper eud o'f each piston rod H). The piston 52 is slidably mounted in a c vlin der R8 having a head Elli provided with a ring 92. The ring 92 is adapted to he received in a hook ill which is :ecurcd by set screw means to the rod 70.

The cylinder 88 is provided at its upper end with a head 96 having a stalling box as formed thereon. A heavy coil spring lot) is interposed between the upper head )6 of the cylinder 88 and the piston 82.

In the construction of the parts just described, it will be obvious that the spring ltltl constrains the piston 82 and consctpzcntly the links 62 upwardly whereby a spring tension is exerted on the platforms i and l! to maintain them in raised position.

For opcratively comiccting each rod to a door operating shaft 520 I provide the fol lowing described mechanisn'i. Pivoted on a shoulder cap screw 102 isan arm ltll. livoted on a shouldered cap screw too is a toggle lever 108. A second toggle lever ll t is pivoted at 112 to the link l l-l and the free ends of both toggle levers 10S and ll l have a pivotal connection in the form of a i lltHll lt*!'tl ap screw Ill. The screw tl l also extends through an opening in the upper cud of the rod 't' l vherelrv the rod is connected to the toggle levers. U will be obvious from the foregoing description that a downward movement of the rod To will op rate the toggle lcvcrs W8 and lltl to move from the position illustrated in Figure I, to the position illustrated in Figure T of the dra's ings. This will swing the arm l tl in a counter-clockwise direction as also illu.--trated in these figures.

For operatively connecting the free end of tl arm lot to the outer end of an arm which is secured to the upper end of the shaft 20 I provide a bracket 11 A,

lll)

tilt! iii till

is pivoted to the bi'acket118by a similar screw 12 1.

It will be noted by referringto Figure 9 of the drawings that the bracket 118 .is

aiigle shaped in cross section. Pivotally socured to the horizontal'portion of thebracket 118 is a link 126. The link 126 is pivot ally secured by means of a shouldered cap screw 128 to the free end of the arm 116.

The bracket 118 is secured to a slide bar 129 in the following (.lGSCllbCCl11111111101. The cap screw 130 which pivotally secures the link 126 to the bracket 118 is provided with a. reduced portion 132 adapted to extend through the bracket 118 and to be screw threaded into the slide bar 129. The shoulder 134 formed by the reduced portion 132 engages the upper surface of the bracket 118 and thereby securely clamps it to the slide bar 129. The portion of the cap screw 130 above the shoulder 18% is sulliciently long to allow free pivotal movement of the link 126 between the head of the cap screw and the bracket 118.

For slidably supporting the bar 129 I provide a pair of slide bearings 136 which may be formed on the bracket 82 or be made .in a separate piece and secured thereto.

In the use of my device I have found it desirable to provide a lock for the doors. This can be accomplished by providing a mechanism to prevent the dmvnward movement of the platforms l0 and 12 when an automobile is driven onto them. In Figure 4 of the drawings I have illustrated a locking arm 138 pivoted at 1410 to the bracket 26. A link 142 is pivoted to the arm 138 and extends toward the inside of the garage as illustrated in Figure 10 of the drawings. it is provided for each side of the platforms. A. rod 144 is pivoted in the frame ofthe platform 40 and extends across it from side to side. One end of the shaft 141 provided with a lever 1 16. Both ends of the shaft 144 are provided with short levers 148 to the lower ends of which the rods 1 1-2 are pivoted. lVhen the levers 138 are moved from the position illustrated in Figure 4 to position under the studs 6-lon the frame member 4a of theplatforn'i 42, downward movement of the inner ends of the platforms will be prevented. 1

Practical operation. In the practical operation of my door opening and closing device it is merely neces- 120- somewhat.

may here be mentioned that an arm 188 I The device canbe designed to operate for any desired weight. The weight ofthe automobile on the inner ends of the platforms 40 and 4:2 drawsthe; rods dow ,wardly and thereby causes the hooks94toi move the cylinders 88 simultaneously therewith- This action compresses the springs 100 and operates the toggle levers 108 and 110101110? the arms 104-. to the illustrated in Figure 7.. i

The swinging of the arms 104 causes the brackets 118 to move thebars 129 intheir 'bearingswl36. The links 126 swing the arms 116thereby causingtlie shafts. 19 to rotate and the doors 18 and 20 to be, folded up to the dotted line position illustrated in Figure 2. To 'preventa violent action position of the device, the pistons 82 in the cylinders 88 act as dash pots inasmuch; as the air trapped in the cylinders leaks past the pistons andniakes their travel very slow.

In order to insure afullopening .otthe doors, the platforms 10 and 42 are designed to move farther than therodsITQ- To allow for this difference of movement the springs 74 are compressed slightly wheii the forms are completelydepressed The toggle levers 108 and ll0are provided-so that theslight movement of the platplatforms and of therodsFO-will be inagni-i tied by them.

It will also be noted that the lever 10 1 increases the movementof the link This magnification of the movement is necessary in order to give a full swinging .i'novemeiitto the shaft 19 for 1 fully opening the doors.

After the automobile has been driven through the doorlopening 16 and off the platforms, the compressed springs; 100 are free to move thecylindersiSS upwardly and thereby raise the platforinsandactuate the toggle levers 108 and 110, the arms 1061, the

links 120, and 126, and the arms .116 for closing the doors. The pistons 82 in closing again act as dash pots toprevent a too:

violentiaction of the springs 100. q

\Vhen it is desired to lock the doors in closed position. it is merely necessary to move the lever 1 16 from the, position illustratediii Figure 10 toythe dotted line posi tion illustrated in thefsame ligure.- In either positionthe weight of the lever 146 having passed over the pivot shalt 14 1 0per- .ates to maintain the locking levers 138 in' v the desired position. i

Having described my invention itwill be obvious that I have provided a door opening and closing device which operates entirely automatically upon. an ZIHtOlHOlJIl'G" be ng driven on to. the platforms which extend"- from the door opening 16. iVhcn driven upon these platforms, the doors will be opened so that the automobile can pass through the door. Upon leaving the platforms the doors will be automatically closed due to the force stored up by the springs 100 which are compressed by the weight of the automobile.

Some changes may be made in the details of the construction and arrangement of the various parts of my device without variation from the real purpose and object of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims, any such modifications as may be embodied within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination with a wall having a door frame therein, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, a door secured to said shaft. an arm on said shaft, a bar slidably mounted adjacent said arm, a second arm pivotally mounted adjacent said bar, link connections between said arms and said bar, a platform having one end pivoted, an operative connection between said second arm and the free end of said platform and spring means for maintaining said free end in raised position.

2. In combination with a wall having a door frame therein, a shaft rotatabl) mounted in said frame, a door secured to said shaft, an arm on said shaft. a bar slidably mounted, a second arm pivotally mounted, link connections between said arms and said bar, a platform having one end pivoted, a pair of toggle links having one end pivotally mounted and the other end pivoted to said second arm, an operative connection between said toggle levers and the free end of said platform and spring means for maintaining said free end in raised position.

In combination with a wall having a door frame therein, a shaft rotatably mounted in said frame, a door secured to said shaft, an arm on said shaft, a bar slidably mounted, a second arm pivotally mounted, link connections between said arms and said bar, a platform having one end pivoted and an operative connection between said second arm and the free end of said platform.

t. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein and a pivotally mounted door adapted to close said door opening, means for operating said door coinprising a bracket secured to the door frame of said wall, the pivotal mounting of the door extending through said bracket, an arm on said mounting, a sliding bar on said bracket, :1 link connection between said arm and said bar, a second arm pivoted on said bracket at substantially right angles to the arm on said mounting, a platform mounted for depression when a weight is placed thereon, a pair of toggle levers pivoted together, and having their free ends pivoted to the bracket and second arm respectively and a link connection between said platform and the pivotal connection between said pair of toggle levers.

5. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein and a pivotally mounted door adapted to close said door opening, means for operating said door comprising a. bracket secured to the door frame of said wall, the pivotal mounting of the door extending through said bracket, an arm on said mounting, a sliding bar on said bracket, a link connection between said arm and said bar, a second arm pivoted on said bracket at substantially right angles to the arm on said mounting, a platform mounted for depression when a weight is placed thereon, and a link connection bctween said platform and said second arm.

(3. A device of the class described comprising a wall, a door opening therein, a pair of platforms hinged at points spaced from said door opening and having their free ends terminating adjacent each other, a shaft arranged in said door opening, a door secured thereto whereby rotation of said shaft will open. said door, an actuating rod pivoted to the free ends of said plat forms and connecting means between said rod and said shaft whereby depression of said platforms will cause said doors to be opened.

7. In comlnnation with a wall having a door opening therein and a plvotally mounted door adapted to close said door opening, means for operating said door comprising a bracket secured to the door frame of said wall, the pivotal mounting of the door extending through said bracket, an arm on said mounting, a sliding bar on said bracket, a link connection between said arm and said bar and a platform connected to said bar for sliding it when said platform is depressed.

8. In combination with a wall having a door opening therein and a pivotally mounted door adapted to close said door opening, means for operating said door comprising a bracket secured to the door frame of said wall, the pivotal mounting of the door extending through said bracket, an arm on said mounting, a sliding bar on said bracket, a link connection between said arm and said bar, a second arm pivoted on said bracket at substantially right angles to the arm on said mounting. and a platform connected to said second arm for sliding it when said platform is depressed.

Des Moines. Iowa. March 1927.

/ CLARENCE B BATES. 

